Carpet anchoring strip



Feb. 15, 1966 J. w. REILING Q 3,234,581

CARPET ANGHORING STRIP Filed Aug. 29, 1963 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. JOSEPH WREILZNG A T TO/PNEY United States Patent 3,234,581 CARPET ANCHORING STRIP Joseph W. Railing, Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to The Reiling Manufacturing Company, Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,473 2 Claims. (Cl. 16-8) This invention pertains to a tack strip for carpeting and, in particular, to an improved integral metal tack strip which facilitates the laying of wall-to-wall carpeting, has extremely great strength and is capable of being nested with other of such tack strips to facilitate shipping, storage, handling and use thereof.

It has become quite common practice to lay wall-towall carpeting by using wooden tack strips of the type comprising a strip of wood, not unlike a yardstick, adapted to be firmly nailed to the floor to be carpeted adjacent a wall thereof or across a doorway associated therewith, and having a plurality of nails or tacks extending therethrough and projecting thereabove. Thus, in laying the carpet, conventional means are utilized to stretch the carpeting to impale edges thereof over such nails or tacks wherein, upon removal of the stretching apparatus, the carpeting tends to retract or pull away from the edges so impaled to thereby hold such edges on such tacks or nails.

While such wooden tack strips have come into widespread use, they are not without their disadvantages. For example, considerable time and labor is involved in providing the wooden tack strip with the impaling nails or tacks which are individually applied thereto at the expense of considerable time and labor. Furthermore, such wooden tack strips are not too easily handled due to the projection of the sharp points of the carpet-impaling nails or tacks therefrom. In addition, the force applied by the carpeting attempting to retract or pull away from an anchored relation with the nails or tacks of the strip, which force is further augmented by pulling loads imposed by people walking across a tacked down carpet, may cause the tacks or nails of the wooden strip to bend toward the carpeting to permit the edges thereof to slip from anchored relation with the strip. When this occurs, it is often necessary to obtain the services of carpet layers who have the special carpet stretching equipment to again stretch the edges of the carpet to a point where it can be re-impaled on the tacking strip after, of course, rebending the tacks or nails thereof back toward the wall of the room to be carpeted. In this regard, and particularly where the wooden nailing strips have spanned doorways and the like, repeated passage of people across the strip may cause the tacks or nails thereof to be bent in a direction which permits an edge of the carpet to slip from an anchored position on the strip, thereby requiring the use of special carpet tensioning equipment to re-impale the carpet on the strip after bending the tacks or nails thereof in a suitable direction to retain them impaled on the edge of the carpet. It was a recognition of these and other problems in the art which led to the conception and development of the present invention.

In view of the foregoing considerations, the present invention includes among its objects the provision of an integral metal tack strip for carpeting which may be relatively inexpensively fabricated from a strong metal in automatic forming machines, and to various suitable and desired lengths to facilitate handling and installation thereof.

More specifically, it is an object and feature of the present invention to provide an integral metal tack strip for carpeting comprising a generally U-shaped body member having a generally horizontal tack surface and transversely spaced leg members projecting therefrom and engageable with a floor to be carpeted to space the tack "ice surface vertically thereabove, and a plurality of spaced carpet-impaling hook members upstanding from the tack surface and inclined thereto in a direction away from the edge of the carpeting to be laid so as to impale and anchor the latter, each of the hook members being integrally joined to the tack surface on an arcuate joint line contained in the plane of the latter and being arcuately shaped in transverse cross section, whereby the hook members resist physical bending down toward the plane of the tack surface of the strip and physical bending back onto the tack strip in response to forces imposed by the carpeting.

More specifically. it is yet another object and feature of this invention to provide an integral metal tack strip for carpeting comprising a longitudinally extending body member generally U-shaped in transverse cross section to define a generally flat horizontal tack surface and spaced leg members projecting therefrom and engageable with a floor to be carpeted to space the tack surface vertically thereabove, a plurality of longitudinally spaced generally upstanding grooves disposed opposite each other in the respective leg members to rigidity the latter and firmly support the tack surface in the desired position above the floor to be carpeted, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending depressions in the tack surface and each such depression including transversely spaced apertures at opposite ends thereof to receive the legs of a staple therethrough to secure the body member in a fixed position on the floor to be carpeted, and a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending and staggered series of spaced carpet-impaling hook members upstanding from the tack surface and inclined transversely thereof, each of such hook members being formed from a generally tear-drop shaped piece of metal material struck or otherwise formed from the tack surface and being arcuately shaped in transverse cross section between a tip portion and a base portion thereof integrally joined to the tack surface along an arcuate joint line contained substantially in the plane of the tack surface. Thus, due to the arcuate cross sectional configuration of each of the hook members and the arcuately shaped line of juncture between the base portion thereof and the tack surface, the hook members respectively resist physical bending down toward the plane of the tack surface, as would be occasioned by someone stepping directly on the tack surface, while further resisting bending movement of the hook members about the aforementioned arcuate juncture line with the tack surface by pulling forces imposed by the tacked down carpeting.

In addition, the present invention is further characterized by the fact that the aforementioned leg members of the tack strip diverge from the tack surface thereof, and the respective spacings of the aforementioned rigidifying grooves in the leg members, the staple-receiving depressions in the tack surface and the locations of the respective hook members and the openings from which they are formed in the tack surface are such that a plurality of such tack strips may be nested relative to each other to facilitate shipping, storage, handling and use thereof.

Still further objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away to illustrate certain details, of a preferred embodiment of the tack strip of this invention in assembled relation with a carpet and carpet padding on a floor to be carpeted;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the tack strip of FIGURE 1 mounted in position on the floor to be carpeted adjacent a wall or baseboard member thereof, and prior to installing the carpet padding and carpet;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

' FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarge-d fragmentary sectional View taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG- URE 1 thereof, the numeral 10 generally indicates an integral thin metal tack strip fixedly secured in a manner to be hereinafter described along a portion of a floor 12 to be carpeted adjacent the upstanding baseboard or wall member 14. A conventional carpet pad is illustrated at 16 as immediately overlying the floor to be carpeted with an edge thereof extending immediately along the tack strip 10, while the numeral 18 indicates the carpet itself including the usual and suitable backing material 20 immediately overlying the top surface of the pad and extending along the tack strip 10.

More specifically, and referring additionally to FIG- URES 2 through 6, it may be seen that the tack strip 10 comprises a longitudinally extending body member which is generally U-shaped in transverse cross section to define a generally flat continuous horizontal tack surface 22 and the transversely spaced continuous leg members 24 projecting divergently therefrom and respectively having terminal edge portions 26 eng-ageable with the floor 12 to be carpeted to space and hold the tack surface vertically above the floor a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the carpet pad 16, whereby the upper surface of the latter and the tack surface are contained in generally the same horizontal plane parallel to the floor as clearly indicated in FIGURE 5.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced generally upstanding grooves 28 are disposed opposite each other in the respective leg members 24, and extend completely between the terminal edge portions 26 of the respective leg members .and the junctures between the latter and the tack surface 22 as will be readily apparent particularly from FIGURES 1 through 3. In addition, .a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending depressions 30 are formed in the tack surface 22, and each such depression includes a pair of transversely spaced apertures 32 at respective ends thereof adapted to receive the legs of a conventional staple 34 therethrough to secure the tack strip in a fixed position on the floor to be carpeted as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 3. Thus, a plurality of staples may be firmly imbedded in the floor with the bases of the staples respectively engaging the portions of the depressions 30 between the apertures 32 to firmly hold the tack strip in place. With the tack strip so secured, the grooves 28 rigidify and strengthen the leg members 24 to strongly resist any tendency of the tack strip to collapse downwardly toward the floor even though it is directly walked upon as is often the case where a tack strip is mounted across the entrance to a doorway or the like.

A pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending and staggered series of spaced carpet-impaling hook members 36 are formed integrally with and upstand from the tack surface 22. More specifically, each of the hook members is formed from a piece of metal material, which is generally tear-drop shaped I in plan view, struck or otherwise formed from the tack surface 22 to define a similarly tear-drop shaped opening 38 in the latter. It is significant to note, in this regard, that the larger base portion of each hook member is integrally joined to the tack surface along an arcuate joint line 40 disposed in the horizontal plane of the tack surface. In addition, it will be noted that the hook members are also arcuately shaped in transverse cross section between the base and tip portions thereof; that is, arcuately shaped or curved between the side edges thereof which are spaced from each other as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 4. Furthermore, each of the hook members is inclined transversely of the tack surface 22 toward the baseboard or wall member 14 throughout their entire lengths at a suitable angle, such as 45 whereby, upon impaling an edge of the carpet backing material 20 thereon and removing the usual carpet tensioning equipment, the inherent tendency of the carpet to pull away from the baseboard or wall member will cause the edge of the backing material to be firmly anchored on the respective hook members.

In operation, a suitable number of the tack strips 10 will be laid in end-to-end relation along the edge of the baseboard or wall member 14 or the like to, in effect, provide a continuous tack strip, it being understood that tack strips of varying lengths may be provided or that a tack strip of any given length may be readily cut to a smaller length by using a conventional saw. In addition, the respective tack strips are stapled in firm fixed relation to the floor as previously described and as illustrated particularly in FIGURE 3. Thereafter, the usual carpet pad 16 may be laid with an edge thereof in abutment with the face of one of the leg members 24, and the carpet laid over the pad with an edge extending therebeyond and over the tack strip. Then, using conventional carpet stretching equipment, the edge of the carpet is stretched to the baseboard or wall member 14 at which time the backing material 20 is impaled on the respective hook members 36. Upon removal of the stretching equipment and due to the inherent tendency of the carpet to then pull back from the baseboard or wall member 14, the backing material is firmly anchored on the hook members in abutting relation with the tack surface 22.

At this juncture, it should be emphasized that the particular configuration and formation of the hook members 36 make them highly resistant to bending movement toward the plane of the tack surface 22 and also away from the baseboard or wall member 14. In other words, due to the fact that each of the hook members is arcuately shaped in transverse cross section and is integrally joined to the tack surface along the arcuate joint line 40 as aforedescribed, each of the hook members is highly rigid and resistant to bending movement along such joint line should the hook members being stepped upon, as is often the case where the tack strip spans a doorway, and in response to pulls imposed thereon by the carpeting.

In addition, a plurality of the tack strips 10 are readily nestable one upon the other to facilitate shipping, storage, handling and use. More specifically, it should now be readily apparent that one tack strip may be nested upon another wherein the leg members 24 including the grooves 28 of the upper strip will closely nest upon and over the corresponding portions of the lower strip. At the same time, the depressions 30 of the upper strip will nest within the depressions of the lower strip, while the hook members 36 of the lower strip extend upwardly through the openings 38 of the upper strip to nest beneath the hook members associated with the latter.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it will be understood that the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above is merely for illustrative purposes, and is not intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the tack strip and components thereof herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An integral metal tack strip for carpeting comprising a longitudinally extending body member generally U-shaped in transverse cross section to define a generally fiat horizontal tack surface and spaced leg members projecting therefrom and engageable with a floor to be carpeted to space said tack surface thereabove, and a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending and staggered series of spaced carpet-impaling hook members upstanding from said tack surface and inclined transversely thereof, each of said hook members including side edges spaced from each other and being arcuately shaped in transverse cross section between said side edges and integrally joined to said tack surface along an arcuate joint line contained substantially in the plane of said tack surface, and wherein said leg members project divergently from said tack surface, and further comprising a plurality of spaced upstanding grooves disposed opposite each other in said respective leg members to rigidify the latter, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending depressions in said tack surface, each of said depressions including transversely spaced apertures at opposite ends thereof to receive the legs of a staple there through to secure said body member in a fixed position on the floor to be carpeted, and each of said hook members being formed from a piece of metal material struck from said tack surface to define an opening in the latter, whereby a plurality of tack strips may be nested upon each other with a lower one of said tack strips having its leg members including said grooves therein and its tack surface including said depressions therein nested with the corresponding portions of a tack strip immediately thereabove, said respective hook members of said lower one of said tack strips projecting through said openings in said tack surface of said tack strip immediately thereabove and nesting with the corresponding hook members of the latter.

2. An integral metal tack strip for carpeting comprising a longitudinally extending body member generally Ushaped in transverse cross section to define a generally flat horizontal tack surface and spaced leg members projecting divergently therefrom and engageable with a floor to be carpeted to space said tack surface thereabove, a plurality of longitudinally spaced generally upstanding grooves disposed opposite each other in said respective leg members to rigidify the latter, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending depressions in said tack surface and each including transversely spaced apertures at opposite ends thereof to receive the legs of a staple therethrough to secure said body member in a fixed position on a floor to be carpeted, and a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending and staggered series of spaced carpet-impaling hook members upstanding from said tack surface and inclined transversely thereof throughout their respective lengths at a predetermined angle thereto, each of said hook members being formed from a generally tear-drop shaped piece of metal material struck from said tack surface and integrally joined with the latter along an arcuate joint line, each of said hook members including side edges spaced from each other and being arcuately shaped in transverse cross section between said side edges.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 406,451 7/1889 Lang 1616 2,634,453 4/1953 Brownstein 16-16 2,732,579 1/1956 Farr 16-16 FOREIGN PATENTS 834,046 5/ 1960 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. AN INTEGRAL METAL TACK STRIP FOR CARPETING COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BODY MEMBER GENERALLY U-SHAPED IN TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION TO DEFINE A GENERALLY FLAT HORIZONTAL TACK SURFACE AND SPACED LEG MEMBERS PROJECTING THEREFROM AND ENGAGEABLE WITH A FLOOR TO BE CARPETED TO SPACE SAID TACK SURFACE THEREABOVE, AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING AND STAGGERED SERIES OF SPACED CARPET-IMPALING HOOK MEMBERS UPSTANDING FROM SAID TACK SURFACE AND INCLINED TRANSVERSELY THEREOF, EACH OF SAID HOOK MEMBERS INCLUDING SIDE EDGES SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND BEING ARCUATELY SHAPED IN TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION BETWEEN SAID SIDE EDGES AND INTEGRALLY JOINED TO SAID TACK SURFACE ALONG AN ARCUATE JOINT LINE CONTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID TACK SURFACE, AND WHEREIN SAID LEG MEMBERS PROJECT DIVERGENTLY FROM SAID TACK SURFACE, AND FURTHER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED UPSTANDING GROOVES DISPOSED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER IN SAID RESPECTIVE LEG MEMBERS TO RIGIDIFY THE LATTER, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING DEPRESSIONS IN SAID TACK SURFACE, EACH OF SAID DEPRESSIONS INCLUDING TRANSVERSELY SPACED APERTURES AT OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF TO RECEIVE THE LEGS OF A STAPLE THERETHROUGH TO SECURE SAID BODY MEMBER IN A FIXED POSITION ON THE FLOOR TO BE CARPETED, AND EACH OF SAID HOOK MEMBERS BEING FORMED A PIECE OF METAL MATERIAL STRUCK FROM SAID TACK SURFACE TO DEFINE AN OPENING IN THE LATTER, WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF TACK STRIPS MAY BE NESTED UPON EACH OTHER WITH A LOWER ONE OF SAID TACK STRIPS HAVING ITS LEG MEMBERS INCLUDING SAID GROOVES THEREIN AND ITS TACK SURFACE INCLUDING SAID DEPRESSIONS THEREIN NESTED WITH THE CORRESPONDING PORTIONS OF A TACK STRIP IMMEDIATELY THEREABOVE, SAID RESPECTIVE HOOK MEMBERS OF SAID LOWER ONE OF SAID TACK STRIPS PROJECTING THROUGH SAID OPENINGS IN SAID TACK SURFACE OF SAID TACK STRIP IMMEDIATELY THEREABOVE AND NESTING WITH THE CORRESPONDING HOOK MEMBERS OF THE LATTER. 